Union sets victory parade

School will celebrate its national crown with event, ceremony on Thursday

Updated 11:24 pm, Monday, April 14, 2014

Fans welcome back the men's hockey team at Union College on Sunday, April 13, 2014, in Schenectady, N.Y. The Union College men's hockey team was returning from Philadelphia where they won the NCAA Division I hockey championship game Saturday night. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less

Fans welcome back the men's hockey team at Union College on Sunday, April 13, 2014, in Schenectady, N.Y. The Union College men's hockey team was returning from Philadelphia where they won the NCAA Division I ... more

There will likely be a sea of garnet, the official Union College color, proudly on display Thursday during the parade for the school's national men's hockey championship.

The parade is expected to step off sometime after 4 p.m. from the Schenectady campus and culminate at City Hall where the team and school officials will be presented with the key to the city as part of the celebration, according to a Union College spokesman and Mayor Gary McCarthy.

He said Monday night that the festivities will also feature bands, a fire truck and police cars.

Though it had not been finalized Monday night, the parade route could proceed along Seward Place to Union Street, added McCarthy.

City Councilman Vince Riggi was among those city leaders and residents who lauded the team for its lofty achievement during Monday night's City Council meeting.

Riggi likened Union's big 7-4 win over the powerhouse Minnesota Golden Gophers in Philadelphia on Saturday night to 1954 when the Schenectady Little Leaguers brought the world championship back to the Electric City.

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"It was a big deal then and it's a big deal now," said Riggi. "It isn't magic, it's a lot of hard work."

Union completed a convincing run to its first Division I national title on Saturday, wresting control of the game with a three-goal burst in the first period.

The No. 1-ranked Dutchmen (32-6-4) completed their transformation from a lowly program to one that knocked off Boston College and Minnesota, which had a combined 10 national titles, in this year's Frozen Four.